Monthly median drug overdose deaths increased by more than 100% among adolescents (age, 10-19 years) between July to December 2019 and July to December 2021, while in the same period and population, overdose deaths caused by illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) also increased by 182%, according to the CDC.
Approximately 84% of deaths involved IMF (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71[50];1576-1582).
“These increases occurred in the context of decreasing illicit drug use among adolescents,